Planning Trip to China --> Any Tips?

[pa_of_6]

Hi, I am planning a trip to China in July. The route will be making my way from Beijing to Hong Kong and I have 18 days to get in as much as possible.
Just wondering if any one has any tips or advice or "must dos" along the way.
Thanks in advance!

[sns2]

Be sure to eat chinese food. Stuff is good.

[13mileranch]

Go for a tour on one of their trains. It's an eye-opener. Don't eat anything you can't identify with certainty.


Seriously, take a hike down the Great Wall. Amazing!!

You will certainly see a whole different lifestyle.

When in Bejing, the Forbidden City and Tiannanmen Square.

[Bigwoodsman]

Did the same thing in 07. When in Beijing go to the Great Wall of China and hike it fir few km. Also take in the Terecotta Warior site near Xian. Hong Kong is amazing. Shanghai has a very cool water front. If you can take a few days and cruise the Yangtze River.

BW

[rugatika]

Don't eat yellow snow.

[stubby99ca]

#1 Always carry TP with you!
#2 If you don't use chopsticks, pack utensils with you
#3 I found Yangshuo to be the most relaxed area of China
#4 Go for a massage, cost a fraction of what they do here

[fishtank]

-its scorching hot and the humidity is in the 80's .
-bring your own Tylenol and stomach pills.
-always drink bottle water only .
- real chinese food is great and tipping is not necessary
-watch out for pick pockets.. carry your things in front

-Macau is nice little place to visit its the vegas of asia
-forget toilet paper.. carry wet naps.. they sell then in travel size at supermarket also pick up hand sanitizers.
-cash is king

[Reeves1]

49 species of Pheasants & all but one can be found there....... send me some !

[Newview01]

Don't be caught with a book like this.

[Bigwoodsman]

Don't buy from the street vendors they'll give you counterfeit money for change.

Only drink bottled water or beer. The Peking duck is awesome.

If I think of anything else I'll add

BW

[lmtada]

Beijing streets are huge. Bicycles everywhere. Need to get used to breathing smog, coal dust. Tip do not take the Beijing subway when people go work/home. The Chinese will run you over. Everyone looks same, black hair, dark eyes. Chinese medicine works. Doctors are good. "Cheri", national automobile. Not to bad. Asians like Benz. Hotels there will be servers in the bathrooms to wipe your hands. Just a heads up.

https://youtu.be/nLpHvXuEE4U

https://youtu.be/xG-meaGqg-M

Cheers

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

I hear the typhoons are quite spectacular and I would recommend purchasing a good respirator with p100 charcoal filters, put it on when you exit the plane then take it off as you get back on. Bring 18 days worth of peanut butter and a spoon, unless you prefer chopsticks. Speaking of chopsticks, I'd rather dig my eyes out with a set then visit China for any reason. Sorry but I'm dealing with some conflicting interests on this topic lately.

[Badgerbadger]

In Beijing, check out the summer palace, and southern sea/middle sea/northern sea/Behai park.

The Peking Man site at Zhoukoudian was pretty neat.

the pollution and humidity could be a major downer.

If you're squeamish about food, that's a shame, as there's lots of weird and tasty things to eat.

Bottled water is the way to go. Tsing Tao beer is pretty awesome.

There's not really anything authentic to buy there, in the markets or from the street vendors, but bargaining can be fun anyway. They respect a hard bargainer. I used to start at 10% of what they said they wanted, and inch up from there.

Take a bullet train, and look at the hutongs and older architecture as you blast by.

Beer is Pijiow, and dumplings are chowza. (phonetic)

Get a foot massage.

[Dean2]

Definitely hit Hong Kong while you are there. It is worth renting a flat for a week or two just to spend time touring all there is too see there.

Travel in the fall or Spring. More wind, less coal being burned for heat so less pollution. Humidity is also lower. Only the biggest cities are badly polluted but when they are socked in a charcoal respirator really is useful. The further north you go the cleaner it gets. There is dome great off roading in the country. The Chinese Doctors and hospitals are really good and VERY cheap. They don't call it Chinese Food there, it is just food, but the fancier places do post the regions of the recipes. Food is excellent. Fear of counterfeit money is over rated, unless you exchange dollars with street money changers, just make sure you spend all the Chinese cash you have before you come home.

Have a great time and post pictures when you get back.

[Mangosteen]

Went to Dalian, Beijing, Wuxi, Shanghai, etc on a business trip to give them a big contract. Food is fantastic depending on where you go.
Don't miss out on the massages at every chance you get. Seven thousand years of experience preserved.

Try to visit Dalian ( fashion capital ) and Shanghai. See the Emperors garden near Wuxi.

Hong Kong great as well as Macau.

[Saskbushman]

Take in the Terecotta Warior site near Xian, it is quite intriguing.

[metalwrench]

Drink bottled water only.

Food food food! So much good food there, try everything.

If you're into electronics you can probably find some pretty cool nifty "fake" brands of headphones, phones, and music players in the stores.

If you're into alcohol, you can try some Baijiu if you're feeling adventurous. Some popular brands: Wuliangye, Maotai, and Ergoutou.